What did you do for your undergrad, and how did it help prepare you for graduate school?
I did my undergrad in Business Administration with a major in Finance. It helped me prepare for graduate school because I already had a foundation in the financial topics and was familiar with many of the topics discussed in grad school.
Why did you choose your MS Degree Program at JSOM?
I chose my MS degree in Finance at JSOM primarily because of the curriculum and the faculty staff. The courses taught covered all of the areas in finance and it gave the opportunity to specialize in different concentrations, such as financial technology or investment analysis. Additionally, the faculty is very well prepared and up to date in the latest research.
What is a memorable experience you had while attending JSOM that has helped shape your career path?
Maybe it was a life-altering internship, a great mentor, enlightening case study, etc.
Jason Cirilo from the JSOM Career Management Center was a pivotal person in my landing of an internship. He helped me develop and improve my interviewing skills while motivating me to push forward.
What makes you proud to be a Jindal Alum?
The awesome student community. Every student that I met was willing to help and willing to network, even beyond the classroom.
If you could describe the Jindal School in three words, which words would you choose?
The experience was wonderful, learning from the JSOM professors has shaped me personally and professionally. The JSOM students there were also very intellectual and curious. It was a great educational experience.
My background experience was a mix of technical qualifications as a software engineer and work experience as a futures trader and Sales Finance Manager. Even though I had worked in the finance domain in different capacities, I didn't have experience of academic finance and when looking for options for my graduate level education my priority was to complement both my previous education and work experience. The MS Finance program at JSOM not only fulfilled all the criteria but also boasted of world class faculty and a very enhanced learning program and facilities.
During my research for a good graduate school, I saw that the MS in Finance at JSOM offered more than just quality education, it provided an access to huge knowledge pool and experience from the faculties and the peers alike. It had the widely diverse class with students from all around the world to learn from, while having 200+ student organizations to develop myself outside of the classroom and make friends. Being located really close to Dallas, a major city which has great opportunities also influenced my decision to enroll at JSOM.
Senior Investment Associate, Diamond Realty Investments, Inc.
Tellez underwrites potential commercial real estate development projects across the country that his company may consider for investment. Tellez earned an MS/Finance at Jindal School. “The master’s degree I earned at UT Dallas 100 percent catapulted my career,” said Tellez, who completed his undergrad degree in economics at Texas Tech. “I was extremely hungry but I was struggling to get the attention of ‘big time’ finance players in Dallas due to lack of experience,” he says.
Strategic Analyst, Midway Asia Head Office, Merlin Entertainments Group
Jiang, an MS/Finance graduate, has a broad range of responsibilities at Merlin, where he works in its Hong Kong office.
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